Kaskara

Jack Fletcher · 20th December 2021, 11:42 AM

Good Morning

Another offering for the group. This kaskra is another 34inch long bladed example, blade has good rigidity and nice weight to it. I was told that the panels engraved on it are a date of 1239 in Hijri years and also Victory from Allah and an imminent conquest, Give good tidings to the believers.

The pommel disc has mostly gone but still some there and overall its solidly constructed.

Again all comments welcome.

Edster · 20th December 2021, 02:52 PM

Nice kaskara. Likely imported blade. Any marks under langets? Being rigid it wasn't made of lorry spring steel widely used post-British conquest. Don't know how to assess cracks on top of crossguard.

The 1239/1824 date could commemorate the end of the Turko-Egyptian 1820-24 conquest of Sudan, though it may not actually be from that date, but why not? Blade looks too clean to be that old. See Wiki article re the first conquest.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turco-...0%E2%80%931824)

Ed

Jack Fletcher · 20th December 2021, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edster

Nice kaskara. Likely imported blade. Any marks under langets? Being rigid it wasn't made of lorry spring steel widely used post-British conquest. Don't know how to assess cracks on top of crossguard.

The 1239/1824 date could commemorate the end of the Turko-Egyptian 1820-24 conquest of Sudan, though it may not actually be from that date, but why not? Blade looks too clean to be that old. See Wiki article re the first conquest.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turco-...0%E2%80%931824)

Ed

Hi Ed
Once again really appreciate the reply. My camera skills as you can tell arent great but took a few extra pictures that might help with the cracks. It looks like someone's given it a clean not so long again and think they have got over zealous with it. Cant see any markings behind the langets but like with the other the first 3/4inch of blade isnt sharpened.

mariusgmioc · 20th December 2021, 03:22 PM

I had an Indian Pata sword with a blade looking exactly the same.

Could it be an Indian blade?

shayde78 · 20th December 2021, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mariusgmioc

I had an Indian Pata sword with a blade looking exactly the same.

Could it be an Indian blade?

Was your Pata blade flexible (as many, but not all, are)? Or, was it rigid, like the one on this kaskara?

mariusgmioc · 20th December 2021, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shayde78

Was your Pata blade flexible (as many, but not all, are)? Or, was it rigid, like the one on this kaskara?

It was quite flexible. So maybe only the appearance is similar.

Jim McDougall · 22nd December 2021, 03:08 AM

The occurance of 'kaskara' blades on pata swords of S. India seems to be an occasional phenomenon, and here is an example I came across back in the late 70s. While I have seen evidence of blades from India come up in North African situations, having these European trade blades travel from Sudan to India seems very unusual.

This blade has the typical sun, moon etc. of the European blades that came into N.Africa about mid 19th c. possibly earlier, and the blade is incredibly worn from the kind of sharpening done by tribesmen there.
The metalwork seems possibly of the sort done about turn of century, and this may have been for the ceremonial dancing of groups in S. India, Kerala?
How this pairing came about..who knows

20th December 2021, 11:42 AM	#1
Jack Fletcher Member Join Date: Jul 2021 Posts: 28	Kaskara Good Morning Another offering for the group. This kaskra is another 34inch long bladed example, blade has good rigidity and nice weight to it. I was told that the panels engraved on it are a date of 1239 in Hijri years and also Victory from Allah and an imminent conquest, Give good tidings to the believers. The pommel disc has mostly gone but still some there and overall its solidly constructed. Again all comments welcome. Attached Images

22nd December 2021, 03:08 AM	#7
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,945	The occurance of 'kaskara' blades on pata swords of S. India seems to be an occasional phenomenon, and here is an example I came across back in the late 70s. While I have seen evidence of blades from India come up in North African situations, having these European trade blades travel from Sudan to India seems very unusual. This blade has the typical sun, moon etc. of the European blades that came into N.Africa about mid 19th c. possibly earlier, and the blade is incredibly worn from the kind of sharpening done by tribesmen there. The metalwork seems possibly of the sort done about turn of century, and this may have been for the ceremonial dancing of groups in S. India, Kerala? How this pairing came about..who knows Attached Images

20th December 2021, 02:52 PM	#2
Edster Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 408	Nice kaskara. Likely imported blade. Any marks under langets? Being rigid it wasn't made of lorry spring steel widely used post-British conquest. Don't know how to assess cracks on top of crossguard. The 1239/1824 date could commemorate the end of the Turko-Egyptian 1820-24 conquest of Sudan, though it may not actually be from that date, but why not? Blade looks too clean to be that old. See Wiki article re the first conquest. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turco-...0%E2%80%931824) Ed

20th December 2021, 03:22 PM	#4
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,903	I had an Indian Pata sword with a blade looking exactly the same. Could it be an Indian blade?